Improvement in harvesters



2 Sheets-Shee t 2;

0. L. EMERSON.

Harvester! Patented Sept. 6. 1864.

- Ina-an er:

my mama! PAT NT FFICIE.

DANIEL L. EMERSON, OF ROGKPORT, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming'part of Letters Patent No. 44,084, dated September 6, 1:564.

To all whom it may concern:

of a combined machine as are affected by my improvements, the remaining parts beingomitted for the purpose of rendering the drawing more simple. Fig. 2 represents a plan ofthe same with the platform removed and the trackclearer in place. Fig. 3 represents an eleva tion of the stubble side of the same. Fig. 4 represents an elevation of the grain side of the same. Fig. 5 represents a front View of a portion of the sickle and the connecting-rod therefor, and Fig. 6 represents a front view of the same. Fig.7 representsavertical longitudinal section of a part of the connecting-rod, and Fig. 8 represents a transverse section through the joint thereof. Fig. 9 represents a transverse section of a portion of the finger-beam and the adjacent part of the frame. The last live figures are drawn upon a larger scale than the first four.

My invention consists of a number of parts or improvements, all of which are embodied in the combined harvesting-machine, parts of which'are represented in the accompanying drawings.

The first part of my invention consists in combining the track-clearer used at the grain end of the finger-beam when cutting grass with a wheel so arranged relatively to the trackclearer that it shall roll upon the cut grass delivered bythe track-clearer, therebyrinsuring its withdrawal from the finger-beam, and'also laying it flat upon the ground, so that it may not fall back (after being acted upon by the track-clearer) and be in the way atthe next round of the machine. The wheel when so combined I term a grass-wheel.

The second part of my invention relates to the divider, and its object is to enable the acting point thereof to be lowered when the cutting apparatus is raised from the ground, so that, although the divideris secured to the cutting apparatus and is raised when the latter is raised to leave a higher stubble, the point of the divider may nevertheless be set to run snf-- ficiently near the ground to insure the proper raising and division of the grain. This part of my invention consists of the combination of the divider with an inclined sliding bar, whose front end forms the point of the divider and may be depressed (by sliding the bar forward) when the divider is raised.

The third part of m y invention has reference to the joint between the connecting-rod and the sickle. This joint as usually constructed speedily becomes loosev and shackly by the wear of the joint-pin and the eye in which it turns, and the play permitted thereby causes great jar and vibration. The third part of my invention provides a ready means of rebushing the eye in which thejoiut-pin operates, so

that the farmer who uses the machine can replace a worn bush by a new one, and that wood or rawhide may be used as the material for the bush. This part of my invention consists of the combination of the sickle with a claspeye of proper size and form to, hold a removable bush in which the joint-pin can turn.

The object of the fourth part of my invention is to furnish a ready means for rebnshing the end of the connecting-rod which works upon the crank-pin of the sickle, so that a bush of 'wood or rawhide may be used, and may be replaced, when worn out, by the farmer; and it consists of the combination of the body of the connecting-rod with a clasp-eye of the proper size and form to receive and hold a removable bush in which the crank-pin may turn.

The fifth part of my invention relates to the portion of the frame of the machine which is at the gearing end of the finger-beam, and consists of the combination of the two beams or braces at the opposite sides of the drivingwheel by a rigid axle, on which the drivingwheel runs, so that the necessity of connecting said beams in the rear of the driving-wheel is dispensed with and the driving'axle becomes a material part of the frame.

The sixth part of my invention consists in forming the socket which sustains the standard of the drivers seat at the end of and 1n I one piece. withthe axle of the driving-wheel, so that the said socket forms the butt of the driving-wheel axle, by which it is secured to the frame of the machine.

The object of the seventh part of my invention is to permit the position of the rear of the raking-platform of a harvesting machine relatively to the frame of the machine to be changed, so that, although the said frame'is tipped to raise or lower the cutting apparatus, the rear of the platform may be set at the most convenient distance from the ground for the discharge of the grain by the raker. This part of my invention consists in the combination of the back beam of the machine (or its equivalent for carrying the rear of the raking-platform) with the side pieces of the frame by means of radius-bars, which may he turned up or down to change the position of the back beam and the rear of the raking-platform relatively to the frame of the machine.

The object of the eighth part of the invention is to enable the machine to be readily tipped on the axles of its running-wheels to raise and lower the cutting apparatus when obstacles are encountered; and it consists in the combination of the main frame and the draft-bar, hinged thereto by means of what 1 term a compound lever, the construction of which will be hereinafter fully described.

The machine,partsof which are represented in the accompanying drawings, may be used either to reap grain or to mow. In the former case it is used with the parts in the positions they are represented in Fig. 1, with the rakingplatform A and the back beam, B, that supports it in place. In the'latter case it is used without the platform and back beam, and with a track-clearer, C, at the gran end of the fingerbeam, as represented at Fig. 2.

Tne track-clearer consists of a triangular piece of wood, which is pivoted at its front end to the adjacent brace D, and is inclined to the direction in which the machine is drawn forward, so as to move the cut grass laterally.

In order that the machine may embody the first part of my .invention, a running-wheel, E, is connected with the machine, and is so arranged relatively to the rear end of the trackclearer, as shown at Fig. 2, that it runs upon the grass acted upon thereby, thus pressing it down to the ground, where it is left in the track of the machine, which passes forward from it. This wheel, so arranged, constitutes the grass-wheel. The axle of the wheel E is secured to a bar or brace, D, which projects from the finger-beam F, and is rigidly secured at its front end-thereto, so that when the finger-beam is raised from the ground the wheel E supports its grain end, which is maintained in position by the resistance which the fingerbealn opposes to twisting.

The divider is situated at the grain end of the finger-beam, and consists mainly of a shoe,

G, which is used alone when the machine is guide, it, and is secured at its rear end to the divider by means of ascrew-bolt, b. The slidebar thus constructed can be slid through the g'uide'after withdrawing the bolt 1), so that the point of the bar may be depressed when the body of the divider is raised by raising the cutting apparatus, and the bar may be secured in its new position by inserting the screw-bolt into one of a series of holes made in the divider to receive it. As the point of the slidebar is the acting point of the divider, this construction affords a ready means of adjusting the position of the point of the divider to its work. If deemed best, the bar and the adjacent part of the divider on which it rests may be curved, in which case the point may be made to slope at about the same angle with the ground, although the divider be raised or lowered by tipping the machine.

The finger-beam F of the machine is connected at-its grain end with the brace D and at its opposite end with the beams D D which form a substantial part of the frame of the machine, and the machine is supported upon the main running or driving wheel M and the grass-wheel E, so that it can be tipped to raise .or lower the finger-beam F. Those portions into a corresponding notch formed in the adjacent end of the beam or brace, and the under sideof said end is beveled in opposite directions from the notch, so that the fingerbeam may be rocked upon said longitudinal projections as an axle to change its transverse inclination to the beams and brace.

The finger-beam is secured to the adjacent end of each beam and brace by two screwbolts, 0 0, one of which is in front of the projection 0, while the other is behind it, so that the finger beam may be rocked by slacking one and screwing up the other, both being screwed tight when the finger-beam is adjust ed to the desired position. As the finger-beam is. made fast to the two shoes at d, which hold the draft bar or tongue J, and as one of these shoes has a cheek,f, which overlaps the adjacent beam D of the frame and is secured to it by a bolt, the bolt-hole in said cheek is made in the form of a circular slot to permit the cheek to move on the beam D when it is rocked with the finger-beam.

The sickle t of the machine is of the usual caused to rock or partially turn upon alongitud i-.

nalaxis when the inclination ofthefingers to the frame of the machine is varied by the-adjust- .ment of the finger-beam, and consequently the sickle end of the connecting-rod will be turned relatively to the opposite end, which is held by the crank-pin. In order to permit the turning of the sickle end of the connecting-rod without the twisting of the material of the rod, the rod is composed of two parts, It and h, one of which has a head, -i, formed upon it, which is received in a corresponding socket in the other part, It, so that the head can turn in the socket, but cannot escape longitudinally from it. Hence the one member, h, of the rod can turnupon the other to accommodateitselt' to the change in the position of the sickle with which it is connected. I prefer to make the head tin the form of an elliptic spindle, as this form tends to prevent the longitudinal bending of the rod; but it may be made in the form of a ball. In either case the socket in which it lies is formed in two pieces, one of which is the body of the rod, while the other is a cap, 7:, which is secured to the body of the rod by a screw-bolt, I, which may he screwed up to compensate wear or to clamp the two members of the rod-rigidly together after they have been turned to their proper relative positions.

The joint between the eonnectingrod and the sickle is made by an eye upon the sickle and ajoint-pin, 17, secured to the adjacent end of the connecting-rod g.

In order that the machine may embody the third part of my invention, the eye upon the sickle is made a clasp-eye, as shown at Figs. 5 and 6, its two sides being connected by a screw-bolt, u, and it is of sufficient size to admit a bush, 1", which can be gripped fast by screwing up the clasp-bolt u. I prefer to make this bush of wood or of rawhide, with a slit at one part (generall at the top) of its circumference, so that as it wears away by contact with thejointpin it may be contracted by screwing up the clasp-bolt n. hen the bush is entirely worn away or breaks it may be replaced at a trifling expense by a new one, made by the farmer, the clasp being slacked to permit the old one to be removed and the new one to be inserted.

In order that the machine may embody the fourth part of my invention, the end ofthe connecting-rod g which works upon the crankpin is also formed into a c1asp-eye,19, to receive a removable bush,nv, which can be replaced in the same manner as that at the sickle. This clasp-eye is made by forming the end of the connecting-rod into a strap, which is bent back upon itself and secured by a clasp- 'bolt, 4v.

In order that the machine may embody the fifth part of my invention, the driving-wheel axle K is secured rigidly at one end to the bed or beam D at one side of the driving-wheel M, and the other end of the axle is secured to the beam 1) at the other side of the drivingwheel. The axle thus forms the rear conneetionbetween the two beams of the frame, while the finger'beam F forms the front connection of these beams. The driving-wheel axle thus becomes an integral part of the frame of the machine, and dispenses with the necessity of a connecting timber or beam in the rear of the driving-wheel, and with the necessity of extending the beams D D back to such area-r beam. The machine is thus made lighter and stronger than theordinary frames in which the axle does not form part of the frame.

In order that the machine may embody the sixth part of my invention, the butt L of the driving-wheel axle is formed into a socket to receive the lower end of the seat-standard, so

that the same setof bolts secure both axle and seat to theframe of the machine, and the driving-wheel axle forms both axle and socket for the seat. As the connecting-bolts of the seatstandard socket thus secure the driving-wheel axle, and vice versa, this mode of combining the partsis attended with considerably greater rigidity and strength than could be obtained with the same weight it the d living-wheel axle and socket were separate pieces. The socket is formed by the two cheek-pieces z 2, which are perforated transversely to receive two bolts, which are passed through holes in the seatstaudard N. There is a series of holes in the cheeks for each bolt, and a series of holes is also made in theseat-standard, so that by shifting the bolts to different holes the seat-standard may be either tipped forward or backward or moved longitudinally, and the seat at the top of the standard may be either raised or lowered, or may be moved backward or forward on the machine; or one of each of these two kinds of adjustments may be made simultaneously.

When the machine is arranged to reap, the grain falling from the sickle is received upon a raking-platform, A, from which it is discharged at intervals by a raker placed at the rakers stand I. The front side of the rakingplattorm is sustained by the finger-beam F, and its rear is sustained by aback beam, B, to which the rakers standP is secured. The ends of this back beam are firmly secured to two radius-bars, R B, one of these bars, 1%, being pivoted on a bolt that passes through the rear of the brace D at the grain end of the finger-beam and the other to the beam D in the vicinity of the driving-wheel M. The front ends of the radiusbars project forward of the pivot-bolts, and' each is perforated with holes, through which a bolt is passed that also passes through the brace or beam to which the radius-bar is pivoted, so that by shifting the bolt from one hole to another the radius-bar may be turned upon its pivot to raise or lower the back beam, and consequently to raise or lower the rear of the platform and the rakels stand. Hence when the machine is tipped forward to lower the cutting apparatus the rear of the platform and rakers stand may be lowered by adjusting the radiusbars so as to be at the most convenient distance from the ground for raking, instead of being of necessity raised, as they would be it the back beam were immovabl y secured to the remainder of the frame. On the other hand, when the machine is tipped back to raised the finger-beam the rear of the platform may be turned up by adjusting the radius-bars tokeep itat the proper distance from the ground. When the machine is used to mow the platform is removed. The back beam and its appurtenances are also easily removed by taking out the bolts which secure the radius-bars to the beam D and brace D. The track-clearer O is then applied,

as shown-in Fig. 2.

In order that the main frame may be readily tipped to raise or lower the cutting apparatus,

the frame of the machine and the draft-bar J- upper extremity of the link has the form of a segment ofa toothed Wheel, b and a spring catch, 0 is pivoted to the hand-lever S in a proper position to engage with the teeth of this segment and secure the parts in any positionin which they may be set by themovement of the hand-lever, thereby securing the fingerheam and cutting apparatus in any desired position. v

In order that the catch may be disengaged with facility, it is connected by a rod with a handle,V, pivoted to the upper end ofthehandlever S, so that the catch may be disengaged by the pressure of the hand which seizes the hand-lever.

Having thus described the application of my improvements, what I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a track-clearer with a grass-wheel arranged relatively to the trackclearer, substantially as described.

2. The combination ofthe divider with an inclined sliding bar, so that the acting front end of the divider can be depressed by moving said -bar, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination ofthe sickle with a claspeye to hold a removable bush, the whole operating substantially as set forth.

4.. The combination of the connecting-rod of the sickle with a clasp-eye to hold a removable bush, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination ot'the two beams of the frame ofa harvester at the opposite sides of the main driving-wheel by means of the drivingwhecl axle, which is rigidly secured to both, the combination operating substantially as set forth, so that the necessity ofaconnecting-piece in the rea r of the driving-axle is dispensed with.

6. A driving-wheel axle constructed in one piece with the socket ot' the standard of the drivers seat, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the back beam (or its equivalent for supporting the rear of the platform of a harvester) with the frame of themachine by means of radius-bars, the whole operating substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the main frame ,draftbar, and compound lever, the whole operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

DANIEL L. E MERSON.

Witnesses:

J. G. MANLOVE, CHAS. PRYsE. 

